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McKnight, Brooks cop silver in Grenada Invi

Sparkle McKnight,Alena Brooks and Lalonde Gordon each had success at the second annual Grenada Invitational on Saturday night at the Kirani James Athletics Stadium in St George’s.

Both McKnight and Brooks copped silver medals in their respective races. McKnight crossed in 56.59 to finish runner-up to Jamaica’s Yanique Haye-Smith in 56.38 in the International women’s 400 metres hurdles. Third was another Jamaican Kaliese Spencer in 56.99.

Jamaica made a clean sweep of the distance hurdles as Andre Clarke won the men’s event in 49.09. T&T’s Emanuel Mayers just missed out on a medal in the hurdles event, placing fourth in 52.09 with his teammate Jameel James just behind in fifth in a time of 55.48. Finishing second was USA’s Quincy Downing in 49.96 and third was Rilwan Alowonle of Nigeria in 50.60.

Brooks was second in the International women’s 800m, clocking 2:03.18 to follow American Carly Muscaro in 2:02.84. Sade Sealy of Barbados was third in 2:04.27.

Gordon, a two-time Olympicbronze medallist, raced to gold in the men’s 200m B race in a time of 21.11 seconds comfortably beating to the line, Tahir Walsh of Antigua (21.34) and France’s Alan Alais (22.08), respectively.

Winning the International men’s 200m dash was former World and Olympic 400m champion LaShawn Merritt of the USA with a 20.57 clocking. His country man Trentavis Friday was second in 20.91 and the Dominican Republic’s Yancarlos Martinez (20.93).

T&T’s sprint champion Emmanual Callender also competed in the event and placed sixth in 21.37.

Callender also lined up in the men’s 100m B race and crossed fifth in 10.64. American Justin Walker won the dash in 10.38 with Walsh (10.46) and Friday (10.49) in second and third places, respectively.

In a meet dominated by foreign athletes, reigning World champion American Justin Gatlin opened his season with victory in the International men’s 100m, winning in 10.05 leading sweep by the Americans of the top three spots. His fellow countrymen Isiah Young (10.11) and Mike Rodgers (10.17) filled the other respective places.

Running out of lane three, he was unable to separate himself from the field over the first 50 metres but once he was into the drive phase, he eased ahead to beat fast-finishing Young to the line. USA’s Tori Bowie, the reigning World champion, was also in winning form as she raced to victory in the women’s 200m, crossing the line in 22.75, beating out Mariely Sanchez (Dominican Republic) in 23.60 and Bahamian Tynia Gaither (23.62).

Grenada’s own Bralon Taplin raced away to win the men’s 400m in 45.29, with Luguelin Santon of the Dominican Republic in second spot in 45.66 and Nery Brenes of Costa Rica in third in 45.73.